Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. II, 1887.
The weeks work in Congress can be
easily summarized, ss the Senate was
in session only three days and the
House four. Besides a good deal Of
other private legislation the Sen
ate pensioned the widow of General
Logan at $1,000 year, secretly discuss
ed the Mexican Reciprocity treaty, and
debated the important pending bill on
Interstate Commerce. The House
passed three of the regular Appropria-
ton bills, several dozen private pen
sion bills, and discussed bills on the
Public Buildings and Naval Reorgani-
zation. But what should be emphasiz-
ed in the work of a Democratic House
is the passage, without opposition, and
without any provision for Confederate
soldiers, of pension bill for the cur
rent year appropriating over SIS, 900, 900.
This amount is nearly as much as
were the entire expenses of the Govern
ment before the war, and it ought to
put the Republican ranters of the last
Presidential campaign to the blush, it
any could. Democratic close-fistedness,
indeed, wherein does it consist?
Senator Beck has by no means given
up his intention of pushing his bill to
prohibit members of Congress from act
ing as attorneys for railroads which
have received Government aid, al
though his long silence had led some
of the railroad Senators to hope that
they would not again by confronted by
this bug-bear. 1t is sore trial for them
to have to face this dreadful measure,
especially since they know it is urged
forward by a practically unanimous
public sentiment. The debate on the
Interstate Commerce bill is being long
drawn out in the Senate as shield to
to keep Mr.. Beck of, but even it must
come to an end when all the speakers
have made their speeches for or against
1T.
It seems that the Revenue Reform
question is really coming to the front
now, and that another effort will be
made to reach those surplus millions.
This time il will be by the internal rev
enue men, Mr.. Randall and his followers
They will advocate that the whole Of
the tobacco tax be removed, that the
tax on alcohol used in the arts be abol.
ished, and that fruit brandies be re-
lieved of tax, but as to whether they
will attempt any Tariff alterations, nj
one can predict. The Members of Con
gress from tobacco producing States feel
that it is a duty they owe their con
stituents to vote for the repeal of the
internal tax on tobacco in almost any
shape that it might be presented.
These are exciting days for the Sena.
tors whose terms expire on the fourth
of March, and there are many indica
tions that the Senate will be much
changed after that time, but whethe
or not it will improved in character ol
ability is an open question. Senator Con
ger Of Michigan, who has been in pub
| lie life for thirty-two years, is to be sue
ceeded by Col. Stockridge, because tn,
latter is a richer man. The long bearded
Republican millionaire from Nevada
Mr.. w. M. Stewart, is coming back fol
another term. No one objects to him
however, as he was rather a lively maj
in the Senate, and having a pretenti
Gus looking-residence here, takes a gooC
deal of interest in the improvement o
Washington city.
1t is still doubtful who will ge
Gen. Logan's place, but Pennsylvani,
sends Mr.. Quay, we'll known bos!
and intriguer, instead of Mr.. Mitchell
and Minnesota sends Ex-Governor Da
Wis, q tariff reformer, writer of bool
on Shakespeare, and so-called orator
in place Of Mr.. Mcmillan. Nebrask;
is hesitating between demagogue anC
a magnate, and California is still il
/ doubt, as are also New York, Massa
chussetts, Tennessee, an other States.
| When the House took up the bill fol
a reorganization of the Navy, Mr.. Got
of West Virginia, who was Secretary o
the Navy for few weeks under MI
Hayes, entered upon a lengthy criti
cism of the bill, and charged the lacl
of d Navy to the Democratic party
Representative Buck thought it strang
that after Republican Secretaries of tn
Navy had for years recommended thi
same kind of legislation, it should noN
be opposed because Democratic Sec
retary had recommended it. Mr.. Bou
tell, of Maine, who is one of the nal
rowest partisans on the Republican
side, denied that MFR. Gotf or Buck him
self had changed front in regard to thi
matter. But Mr. Buck did not wavel
Said he: "You are opposed to it to-da
you were opposed to 1t yesterday, yo
will be opposed to it tomorrow, an
everlastingly opposed to it as long as
Democratic Secretary is in power"
AS to the present condition of DemoC
racy and what it is doing, Gen. Blaci
Commissioner G of Pensions, gives pic
ture in recent letter to Allen G. Thu
man, which is calculated to rejoice tn
heart of every one to whom success
dear. Said he: an triumphant Demot
racy administers the affairs of the RI
public. Quietly but positively the n
forms that have long been demande
by the people, so far as the Admins
trative branch of the Government
concerned, are in vigorous effec
Economy and law are the standards {
official action. Partisanship does nj
: throw its sword into the scales of ju
; tice. Submission to assessment by pul
lie officials for partisan purposes is M
J a condition of public service. Cor
tracts are not let to the highest part
!, san bidder and the public lands are sa
within the pale of the statutes. VIII;
, more could be said in behalf of til
great party which has brought abot
, these things in the brief space Of twel
, ty-two months.
, The first window-glass ever male
} this country was manufactured at Pitt
burg, Pa, in l795.